Combined end gate and ramp



1,639,879 1927' L. c. BUFFINGTON COMBINED END GATE AND RAMP Filgd April1 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 1,639,879 L. c. BU FFINGTON COMBINED END GATEAND RAMP Aug. 23,1927.

Filed April 1, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lTEzfJ- 3;? I

VIII.

WIAB IIII.

1,639,879 Aug L.C.BUFHNGTON COMBINED END GATE AND RAMP Filed April 1.1926 3 Shets-Sheet 5 All 42? .illli 4/ Patented Aug. 23, 1927.

UNITED STATES LEONARD C. BUIIINGTON, F GOLDEN CITY, MISSOURI.

COMBINED END GATE AND RAMP.

Application filed April '1, 1926. Serial No. 99,101.

The invention relates to improvements in ramps for loading stock into oruIllOtLdlDglt from wagon or truck beds, and has reference moreparticularly to devices of thls character in which the ramp when closedforms an end gate for the body or bed.

In carrying out my invention, I provlde the ramp with a pair of hingedlymounted side walls and preferably with an extension which is alsohingedly mounted, the relation of parts being such that the side wallsmay fold against one side of the ramp and the extension against theother side thereof, when the device is to be'used only as a tall ate.

g Another object of the invention is to provide novel means whereby theside walls of the ramp are automatically swung inwardly upon the latterwhen saidramp is upwardly swung to tail-gate-forming position, saidmeans acting also to automatically raise the side walls to operativeposition, when the ramp is swung downwardly for loading or unloadingpurposes.

A. still further aim is to provide novel extensions for the side wallsof the ramp to be used when loading or unloading cattle or other largestock, overcoming any poss1- bility of the stock endeavoring to leapover said walls or pass between their upper ends and the bed of thewagon or truck.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subjectmatter here1nafter described and claimed, the description beingsupplemented by the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the invention in tail-gate-formingposition.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the device swung downwardly tooperative position for loading or unloading purposes.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view as 1nd1- cated by line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on the plane of line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section as indicated by line 5-5 of Fig. 3. I

Fig. 6 is a detail transverse section on the plane of line 66 of Fig. 4.0 7

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional v 1ew illustrating the ramp in apartially raised position.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on line 88 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing one of the side wall extensions.

which it may be connected with a wagon or truck bed 12. These hinges areshown .directly connected to the bed 12, but in some instances, theymight be secured to a suitable member detachably connected with the bed,so that the ramp could be disconnected from the bed at any desired-time.Detachability could also be attained by removably bolting the bedcarriedleaves of the hinges 11, to the bed. d

An extension 13 is provided for the lower end of the ramp body 10, saidextension being pivoted to the ramp as indicated at 14, so that it mayswing against the outer side of said ramp body when the latter isupwardly'folded to the position shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5. The sidewalls 15 are preferably of slatted construction and hinged at 16 to theramp body 10, so that they may fold inwardly upon the sides of thelatter remote from the extension 13, when the device is upwardly foldedto the tail-gate-forming positio'n of Figs. 1, 3 and 5. Extensible andretractible braces 17 are preferably connected loosely with the sidewalls 15, so that the stock cannot outwardly crowd and break said wallsloose from the ramp 10.

Provision is made for automatically swinging the side walls 15 inwardlyupon the ramp body when the latter is swung upwardly and forautomatically elevating said walls to operative position, when the rampis swung downwardly for loading or unloading purposes. This means isidentical for each of the walls 15 and a description in connection withone will therefore suflice.

A sleeve 18 is secured to the ramp body 10 in parallel relation with andadjacent the hinge line of the wall 15, said sleeve slidably receiving ahelically pitched end 19 on a longitudinal rod 20 which is co-axial withthe sleeve, said rod being slidably and rotatably received in a suitablebearing 21 secured to the ramp body 10. Thehelically pitched end 19 ofthe rod 20 engages a guide or nut formation 22 which is preferably atone end of the sleeve 18 so that endwise movement of said rod will causeit to rotate. This rod is provided with a lateral arm 23 disposed attheinner side of the wall 15 and suitably connected with the latter, forinstance, by

.the bed 12, by a coiled tension which .is self-contracting until; alieate "cen loose reception in a stirrup 24 which is secured to-said wall.The end of the rod 20, remote from the sleeve 18, is connected withspring 25 volutions contact with each other as m Flg. 7 in the preferredform of construction. When the spring reaches this condition,uponupwardswmging of the ramp body 10 and associated parts, said spring willthrust upon the rod 20 as will be clear from Fig. 7, thus forcing thisrod further into the sleeve 18 and causing the co-acting means 19-22, torotate the rod, thereby forcing its arm 23 to swing the side wallinwardly against the ramp body 10, as the latter is upwardly swung. Whenthis ramp is again swung downwardly from the position of Fig. 1 to thatof Fig. 2, the spring 25 pulls upon the rod and moves the latterpartially out of a the sleeve 18, and when this movement takes place,the co-acting means 19-22, cause said N rod to rotate in such adirection as to force its arm 23 to swing the side wall 15 u wardly tooperative position. It will thus e seen that unique revision has beenmade for automatically f0 ding the side walls 15 in-- wardly upon thebody of theramp when the latter is upwardly swung to tailate-formingposition, and for automatical y extending said side walls in osition foruse, when the ramp is downward y swung. A device is thus provided whichis exceptionally advantageous, and requires only an infinitesimal amountof time to either condition it for loading or unloading, or to disposeit at tailgate-forming position. Obviously, any desired means may beemployed to hold the device in this last named position.

When loading or unloadin cattle or other large stock, I. prefer toemploy upward extensions 26 for the side wal s 15, said extensionspreferably having downwardly pro jecting arms 27 which straddle saidwalls to releasably connect the extensions therewith. The upper, innerrtions of these extensions 26 are prefera ly each provided with aslidable extension 28 which may be pro'ected toward the wagon bed asshown in ig. 9, thereby closing gaps which would otherwise exist andpreventing the stock from endeavoring to pass between the walls 15 andthe wagon bed, and it will be seen that the upward extensions 26 preventthe stock from attempting to jump over the walls 15.

As excellent results are obtainable from the general construction shownand described, it may be followed if desired. However, within the scopeof the invention as claimed, variations may be made.

I claim 1. A loading and unloading attachment comprising a rampincluding a body, means for hingedly connecting the upper end of saidbody to the bed of a truck or wagon to permitsaid body to be swungupwardly to a tail-gate forming position, a pair-of side walls hingedlyconnected to said body, means for automatically swinging said side wallsinwardly tcwards said body when the latter 1s swungupwardly andoutwardly "to "operative position when the ramp is swung downwardly,said means comprising longitudinally movable and rotatable membersmounted on said ramp body and having connection with its side walls, andmeans for turning said rotatable members when longitudinal I movement isimparted thereto whereby the side walls of the ramp are raised orlowered according to the direction of turning of said rotatable members.

2. A loading. and unloading attachment comprising a ramp, means forhingedly connecting the upper end of said ramp'to' the bed of a truck orwagon and permitting upward swinging of said ramp to a tailgate-formingposition, a pair ofside walls for the ramp hingedly connected therewith,raising and loweringmeans for said side walls including longitudinallymovable and rotatabiy mounted members having connection with the sidewalls, means for turning the movable members when longitudinal movementis imparted to them, and connecting means between the movable membersand the wagon bed for effecting longitudinal movement of said movablemembers when the ramp is vertically moved.

3. A structure as specified in claim 2; the connecting means betweensaid movable members and said side walls comprising ri 'd armsprojecting laterally from said movahle memb ers,.and stirrup's securedto the walls and loosely receivin said arms.

4. A loading an unloading attachment comprising a ramp, means forhingedly connecting the upper end of said ramp to the bed of a wagon ortruck, a pair of side members for the ramp hingedly connected therewith,rods parallel with said side members and mounted for both longitudinaland rotary movement upon the ramp, said rods having helical portions,nut members secured to the ramp and engaging said helical portions tocause rotation of the rods when the latter are longitudinally moved,coiled tension springs for connecting said rods with the truck or wagonbed to eflect longitudinal movement of the rods when the ramp isvertically moved, and connections between said rods and said side wallsfor swinging the latter inwardly or outwardly according to the directionof rotation of the rods.

5. A loading and unloading attachment comprising a ramp, means forhingedly connecting the upper end of said ramp to the bed of a wagon ortruck, a pair of side members for the ramp hingedly connected therewith,rods parallel with said side members and mounted for both longitudinaland rotary movement upon the ramp, said rods having helical portions,nut members secured to the ramp and engaging said helical portions tocause rotation of the rods when the latter are longitudinally moved,coiled tension springs for connecting said rods with the truck or wagonbed to effect longitudinal movement of the rods when the ramp isvertically moved, lateral arms projecting from said rods adjacent saidside walls, and side loose connections between said arms and walls, saidarms and connections being operable to transmit the turning movement ofthe rods to the side walls.

6. In combination with a ramp for connection with a wagon or truck bed,said ramp having side walls, an upward extension for each of said sidewalls straddling said walls to detachably mount the extension thereon,an inward extension for each of said detachable extensions, each inwardextension being slidably mounted upon the detachable upward extensionfor projection toward the truck or wagon bed to close the gap betweenthe bed and the side wall extension when the ramp is lowered.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

LEONARD C. BUFFINGTON.

